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Saturday, January 18, 2014

Launching Air Command Without The S Pen

For those of us rocking with the Note 3 features with custom ROMs on our Galaxy Note 2s and for those of you rocking with the Galaxy Note 3:

Perhaps there are times when you wanna use Air Command but one of your hands is preoccupied and you can't unsheathe the S Pen (never try using your teeth and end up discovering the S Pen actually tastes like a thermometer. Don't ask).

The solution lies in the free GMD Air Command Shortcut app which allows you to place an Air Command icon on your Homescreen. Tap the icon (or use gestures once you've gesture-set the app) and out pops Air Command. Look ma, no S Pen.

Go to the Play Store on your Note 2 and you either can't find the app or you will get that 'Your device isn't compatible with this version' message thrown in your face (unless you happen to have a certain Xposed module installed). But here's the XDA link to the downloadable APK.

You can go ahead and click on the Play Store link above if you are using the Galaxy Note 3. No rooting is required for using this app on the Note 3.

I've tested the app on my Ditto Note 3 and Tigra ROMs and it's working without a hitch (except for Scrapbooker which can't function with fingers by default, courtesy of Uncle Samsung, as mentioned too by the developer). This app oughta work on other TouchWiz-based ROMs with Note 3 features.

So do take note (pun not intended) that this app won't work on TouchWiz-based ROMs that doesn't give you the Note 3 features and the same goes for AOSP and AOKP ROMs.

If you are using the S Pen, you can launch Air Command from absolutely anywhere, even from within apps but since this Air Command app is itself an app, it can only be launched from either the Multi-Window (yes, it can be placed in there), from its icon placed on the Homescreen or from within folders and the App Drawer.

No biggie, if you are within another app without your S Pen already out, it just means your Home button gets a +1 to getting mashed as you exit to the Homescreen to click on this Air Command app to launch it.

Sure, one can argue that without launching Air Command, you can still launch some of its associated apps by clicking on their icons. Yeah, just try taking a screenshot with only one hand or try summoning Pen Window without the S Pen and without this app and you tell me ;)

So yeah, you can use the functions of Air Command using just your thumb or finger. Give the middle one to Apple - Don't feed the patent troll and don't make their iLawyer$ any fatter than they already are.